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Page 557
KEEP
innermost, strongest structure or central tower of a castle, the place that served as a last defense; in general used to mean the whole castle
LEECH
a person who treated injuries and sometimes illness, sometimes combining this with the profession of barber; not a learned physician but a doctor of sorts
LEVY
a calling up of men for war or other purposes, the men being those who were required to do military service to "hold" their lands
OFFAL
garbage, refuse
PROVENDER
food, especially dried or preserved, like corn or salt meat and fish
REAVERS
technically those who tear, split and cleave; thus, robbers who use great violence
SQUIRE
a young man in training to be a knight; he attended upon a knight, exchanging personal service (combined valet, secretary, messenger, and bodyguard) in exchange for lessons in manners, fighting techniques and military tactics
TRENCHBUT
a machine of war used for throwing stones; it could be mounted on ships or castle walls or carried
TUN
a large barrel in which wine, ale or beer is stored
VASSAL
a nobleman who held his lands on conditions of homage and allegiance, which included military service, from an overlord
Vassals might be very great lords who held many large estates from the king or could be minor knights who held one small estate from another nobleman. In any case

 
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